Brendan Rodgers was brutally honest in his assessment, summing up the feelings of most Liverpool fans.

'We were nowhere near our capacity and it has been like that for much of the season,' he said after Sunday's match against Queens Park Rangers. It was easy to forget they'd actually won the match.

Skipper Steven Gerrard was even more to the point in his analysis. 'Everything needs improving,' he thundered.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Real ready for tough week - Ancelotti

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was scathing in his assessment of their performance at QPR

Simon Mignolet and Joe Allen desperately try to keep out an Eduardo Vargas header to make it 2-2

Dejan Lovren is beaten in the air by Steven Caulker as Liverpool struggled to impose themselves at Loftus Road

Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren mull things over during the 3-2 win at Queens Park Rangers

That improvement needs to come about pretty damn quickly. On Wednesday night, the champions of Europe Real Madrid come calling.

It is a wonderful, glamorous tie - the raison d'etre for a competition like the Champions League. The whole world will be watching Anfield, fascinated.

But on current form, things could get pretty messy for Liverpool.

Their defence has looked vulnerable all season - managing to keep just one clean sheet so far - and now Dejan Lovren, Martin Skrtel and co come up against the most feared forward line in world football.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and their team-mates have already racked up 40 goals in 13 matches this season and have won their last two matches 5-0.

Martin Skrtel hacks the ball away as Liverpool struggle to clear their lines during the QPR match

Real Madrid's fearsome attack, including Javier Hernandez (left), Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) and James Rodriguez are next up for Liverpool in the Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo already has 15 goals in seven La Liga matches this season

Liverpool will be relieved that Gareth Bale will likely be sidelined for the match at Anfield

VIDEO Real ready for tough week - Ancelotti

It will come as some relief to Liverpool that Bale is sidelined with a gluteal muscle injury, but Karim Benzema, Javier Hernandez, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are just some of the other attacking options at Real's disposal. The goals could come from anywhere.

Liverpool's central defensive partnership of Skrtel and Lovren has looked vulnerable all season and showed their weakness again when Eduardo Vargas shook them off to bring QPR level at 2-2 in the 92nd minute on Sunday.

Lovren, who cost Liverpool £20m in the summer, lacked any kind of command at Loftus Road, with far too many clearances landing at the feet of opposition players. He was bullied by Bobby Zamora.

Skrtel, too, struggled to contain the QPR captain and was also at fault for Basle's winner in Liverpool's last Champions League outing.

With all due respect, if they can't cope with QPR's attackers, what hope is there against Real?

QPR striker Bobby Zamora gives Martin Skrtel the run around during Sunday's match

Dejan Lovren also struggled to contain Zamora in the match at Loftus Road on Sunday

Rodgers played Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique out wide, with Javi Manquillo left on the bench and Alberto Moreno not in the squad.

Whoever occupies those positions on Wednesday will have to be on top form. Liverpool are likely to be pinned inside their own half for long spells, even though they are at home, and their fragility is alarming at times.

Simon Mignolet, the goalkeeper, remains vulnerable with crosses and his inconsistent performances were heavily criticised by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville after the 1-1 derby draw with Everton.

Real are in ominous form. Ronaldo has 15 goals in seven league matches after his double in Saturday's five-goal thrashing of Levante and will score over 70 this season if keep up this rate.

The team as a whole may well end up close to 150 across all competitions - they put eight past Deportivo La Coruna and have smashed five against each of Basle, Elche, Athletic Bilbao and Levante.

They are gradually beginning to play like they did at the end of last season, when they won the Copa del Rey and their historic 10th European Cup.

Simon Mignolet clatters in to Martin Skrtel as he tries to collect the ball

James Rodriguez celebrates after scoring in Real's 5-0 rout of Levante on Saturday

Manchester United loanee Javier Hernandez has also been given a new lease of life at the Bernabeu

Toni Kroos has also impressed since his summer move from Bayern Munich

One man who will particularly relish the Anfield visit is striker Javier Hernandez, on loan from Manchester United.

Chicharito scored on Saturday, taking his tally to three, and the Mexican has been given a fresh lease of life by the temporary move away from Old Trafford.

Kroos, who joined from Bayern Munich in the summer, had a near-100 per cent passing record against Levante, while James Rodriguez looks every inch a Madrid player and gave a fine performance with licence to attack at the weekend.

Karim Benzema should recover from the fever that kept him out of the last match to offer Carlo Ancelotti yet another dangerous option.

Five years ago, Liverpool thrashed Real 4-0 on a glorious night at Anfield. Current form suggests that scoreline might be the other way round on Wednesday night.